Whispers in the Darkness
by Danielle2
Summary: To escape Kingdom Hearts Riku has agreed to work together with Ansem and search for the Door of Darkness. Will he manage to seal it before he loses control of himself and the evil hidden within his heart? (Tidus/Riku)
1. Author NotesRamblings

Notes (might contain spoilers for the story...but who the fuck cares?):

1/29/03:

Part 1 of the Spira chapter up, and god, was it a bitch to write. I am still not completely happy, but knowing me I never will. Spira itself will most likely consist of three parts and one Interlude, which I am working on right now. Yep, ya hear right, Tidus/Riku fluff coming up next. At least I hope I am going to stick with the fluff I have planned out. Somehow everything I wrote lately turned into angst...wonder why.

Not much else to say. Just, thanks for the reviews.

Oh, and Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy and every character contained within those games is not mine. Don't sue.

For once I am bothering with notes, mostly because my beta reader complaint that chapter one does not make much sense.

...maybe it aren't so much notes, maybe more of a rant? 

Well, it isn't supposed to. Not at the moment anyway.

The questions in it will be answered within time. I never liked it when in the first chapter they cram all the information down your throat, swallow or die, and the rest of the story is nothing more than a time filler for whatever the author wanted to write in the first place. Mostly romance...yuck.

Not that I have anything against it, but I am getting sick of all that disguised pwp. They do as if they have a storyline, but in the end it is just a farce for the getting together of a couple and ends in a lot of mush. And I am left wondering what happened to the plot while said couple faces in a mind boggling amount of chapters the problems of being together. If I am lucky I might find the rushed end of whatever tried to pass as plot in the last chapter.

Um, sorry, got distracted, back to the crap which I try to pass off writing. To make it short, what makes no sense now, will make sense later...at least I hope so. So don't come asking "Where is Mickey? He was in Kingdom Hearts too!" and "What are they talking about? What does he know now?", okay? Things will reveal themselves slowly. I found it unrealistic to let Riku babble about what he learned in his mind. He does not have to explain the whole shebang to himself. Would be strange.

Also, as for couplings in this fic. There is going to be one, if not more. BUT only in the interludes that I will sometimes add. If you like mush and shounen-ai read those and spare yourself the work of reading through the whole story, saves you a lot of time. Aside from the interludes there will be no shounen-ai and nearly no romance. So it is fairly save for all audiences.

And NO, it will not be a Riku/Sora couple. As cute as the two are, I am getting sick of them. There are so many other possibilities. And I am not talking about Squall/Sora here which seems to get popular lately. Or Ansem/Riku ... though, I have nothing against that pairing...yummy, but as things stand currently that might be considered masturbation O.o;.

Anyway, I think I am writing the first Tidus/Riku ...at least the first I have seen.

I knew I shouldn't have played KH right after FFX....

Well, notes get updated as I go along with the chapters, until later than.

Disclaimers: KH not mine, nor is anything related to Final Fantasy. 


	2. Kingdom Hearts Nightmare

-Kingdom Hearts-  
  
"You don't know enough...you understand so little...There is still so much to learn."  
  
I do understand. I do know now. For I have learned.  
  
"The keyblade can't seal the door to darkness..."  
  
True...it wont, it never did. Never will...  
  
"Open your heart to darkness."  
  
I did, gods, I did it once Never again. I am stronger now. Stronger...  
  
"In every heart there is darkness. Even in yours, keymaster."  
  
In my heart... I don't know any longer what rests within it. I wonder if I ever did...  
  
"It all returns to darkness."  
  
Okay, could you please shut up about your darkness? This is getting really annoying. As if I haven't enough of darkness around here already. One would think, after all that time (How long has it been anyway?) I have spend here my eyes would have adjusted, but still blackness surrounds me, only broken by the faintest contours, glowing a weak red, smears of crimson, pulsing, like blood oozing out of dark, infested wound. Maybe those gashes of colour are wounds, wounds in the heart of worlds. Torn by claws, teeth and swords. Few once, now appearing at a alarming rate. This world is dying. Slowly but surely. And I can't stop it. Not here. Not enclosed within it. A part of it. I will die too if I stay. Not that I do not deserve it. But what of the others? All those people in their different worlds? What about them? What will happen to them when the Heart of the Worlds dies? The centre of it all...  
  
"Darkness."  
  
You again.  
  
"You know what must be done. You know which mistake was made."  
  
Yes.  
  
"You want to save them, beware them from what awaits them."  
  
Yes, but...  
  
"You hold the key..."  
  
But the Door of Light, only-  
  
"The Key to Darkness."  
  
No! Never! Never again will I use that key! I would rather rot here!  
  
"Suit yourself. Die with a clear conscience. I am sure your friends will feel better about dying that way."  
  
Bastard! You son of a...shit, I can't even insult you without insulting myself.  
  
"Poor baby."  
  
I hate you.  
  
"The feeling is mutual."  
  
Creaking leather, coldness under my finger tips, the scraping of metal against the ground. I don't look down, don't want to a knowledge it. I don't need to see the dark blade in my hand, the razor sharp edges and spikes, the weight too familiar to me, heavier than the keyblade I have become used to. I can hear tiny feet scurrying away, hisses, pain, anger, fear, heavy masses slowly moving away, tremors running through the ground with every step, the flutter of wings above me, the clicking of spider like legs against stone ...They recognise it, know it for what it is. What it stands for... Destruction.  
  
Why are you helping me?  
  
"I am helping myself."  
  
Lids fall closed, or do they? I can't tell the difference. Heavy breathing, the pounding of my heart, or is it even mine? So loud, as if the whole word is shaking with me. Waiting...  
  
"Do it."  
  
Trembling, cold, slowly loosing vertigo, too long ago that I last did it, unused. I had hoped that I would never have to call upon those powers again. Something in me slowly wilts and dies as I feel it unravelling, like a snake uncoiling, sending hot poison through my veins. Still trembling, while another part of me screams in joy and greedily latches onto power, moulding it, forcing raw energy to obey its... my will. I think, I can actually hear reality tear. Violet light behind my lids, painfully bright.  
  
Laughter...  
  
"Finally!"  
  
Enveloped, electric static, coldness so intense it freezes the marrow in my bones. Then, falling. My eyes fly open. Velvet blackness, not the unpenetratable one of Kingdom Hearts, but pin pricked by dots of silver light. A nightsky.  
  
Free...  
  
"Free..."  
  
Our last thought before I hit the ground and consciousness leaves me. 


	3. Eden

**__**

To Destination-Eden-

Warmth. That was first thing to penetrate the mist around his mind. The feeling of being warm. Not the warmth of battle, of sweat running down his back that quickly cools off and leaves chills to shake his bones, but one that reached deeper, that seemed to slowly melt the ice that had gathered in his limbs over the years. 

He hadn't been warm in ages.

He wanted it to stay this way, forever enclosed in warmth. 

Sleep. It seemed so sweet. 

To keep his eyes closed, slowly drifting away, non caring. 

When was the last time he had slept, really slept? Not just a light doze, ready to jump to his feet and defend himself against a Heartless every moment. And when was the last time he had rested so comfortable? 

The feeling of a soft quilt above him, probably feathers, for once not stone (at least he hoped it had been stone, but it had felt way too alive to be comfortable) as a bed, but a comfortable mattress.

Felt like heaven.

Just a moment...

Kingdom Hearts was definitely not warm, and he was fairly sure there also were no beds around.

With a start his lids snapped open staring into absolute blackness and his body reacted without conscious thought, throwing the cover back and jumping to his feet.

At least he tried to.

The moment he was upright his world started to spin, blood pounding in his ears, blotches of bright red and yellow staining the darkness in front of his eyes. He took a unsteady step forward, trying to find his balance, but stumbled over a object in his way. He fought against gravity for a few precious seconds, before he fell forward with a hoarse curse. The youth hit the ground heavily, barely managing to get his hands under him to avoid falling onto his face. He heard glass break, somewhere close to him, something scraped against his bare side, leaving a burning scratch behind and he absently noted that he must have been naked. 

The young man staid on the floor, breathing heavily and trying to get his bearings. Through the beating of his own heart he picked up the sound of feet against wooden floor, hurriedly getting closer, two people, one light, the other heavier. Urgent voices whispering with each other.

Coming closer.

The muscles in his shoulders tensed.

Two, he could deal with that.

The chance that those two would want to harm him in any way was unlikely. After all they had had ample of opportunities as he was out cold. 

But still...years of living as a hunted were firmly engraved in his being. 

He wouldn't take any chances.

Even if he was out of his self induced prison, it didn't mean that he was not in danger.

Out of Kingdom Hearts.

The fact had not really registered with him up to now, as he heard the voice of a woman, high pitched in a exclamation of shock and concern as she saw him on the floor.

Humans. Words in his language.

Not the hiss of Heartless.

Free.

Not a dream that he left.

He was free again. 

Elation and relief flooded through him. A faint smile ghosted over his lips.

Finally.

He didn't even mind as delicate hands closed over his shoulders, ushered him upwards and onto the bed again. Deft fingers set to work on his hip, the warm tinkle of healing magic barely registering, nor the concerned words that were spoken to him.

Free.

Still lost in the worlds but free!

No longer enclosed, no longer on the run. No longer hoping that maybe he would be found. No longer did he have to cling onto the thin straw that the door would be opened from the outside.

He was free to travel. To fight against the Heartless from the outside.

Maybe managing to find the final door and defeat them once and for all.

And maybe, with a bit of luck, he would find him.

The travelling between worlds may prove a problem, but he was sure that---

A light slap to his face brought him out of his thoughts. Once again he reacted on impulse, grabbed onto her wrist and twisted it sharply. 

He heard a hiss of pain, somewhere close he heard the steps of the other, the scraping of metal against wood and he got ready to defend himself, but the steps faltered as the woman spoke up, strained but determined. 

"Natas, stop it. It's alright."

A short silence, before she spoke up again.

"I am sorry, I had to slap you. It was necessary. You were going into shock. Would you please let me go?"

Reluctantly he let go of the thin wrist, and he heard a sigh of relief from the woman. Shock his ass, but it wouldn't do to alienate the inhabitants of this world right from the start.

"Where am I?"

He stumbled over the words slightly, his voice rough and harsh to his own ears. Unused to speaking, he coughed loudly, his throat hurting.

"Here, drink."

Something cold and smooth was pressed against his lips and he greedily swallowed the liquid, soothingly running down his parched and dry throat. Gods, he was fairly sure he had never tasted something so good as this simple water. 

He made a sound of protest as the glass was removed.

"Later. If you drink too much you will just vomit it up again."

The glass was set down somewhere near to him, clinking against wood. He made a mental note of it, so that he would be able to reach it later, and turned into the direction he had heard the woman speaking, repeating his question.

"We call it Eden."

The first time the other had spoken, his voice deep and rough, rumbling like thunder, and heavily laced with sarcasm. That must have been Natas.

"Eden...?"

The name sounded strange on his tongue, though he believed to have heard it before somewhere. Now if he could just remember...

"You will see soon enough for yourself."

See...

"What about my eyes?"

He was still blind, and for a moment fear surged through him that he would be so permanently, that the darkness of Kingdom Hearts had damaged his eyesight beyond repair.

"I have put a blind spell on you. Your eyes are hyper sensitive to light, I don't know why. Without the spell the light would damage your sight gravely."

Gentle fingers travelled over his face and he closed his eyes as she trailed them over his lids.

"It should get better with time. A blindfold will work fine in a few days. You should try to slowly get used to light again. But now enough of small talk."

A slender hand was placed onto his chest and pressed him back into the sheets.

"You still need a lot of sleep. I will bring you some food later."

The rustle of sheets as she stood up, covers gently drawn over him. A small part of him wanted to protest, didn't like being treated like a little boy, while the larger part just told him to shut up and enjoy the novelty of being cared for.

He heard them move towards the door, quietly speaking among themselves.

"What're your names anyway?"

Both stopped, the rustling of clothing as one of them turned.

"Natas is the name of my companion and I am Elodrion. And you are?"

For a moment he was at loss, his name, a name he hadn't used for a long time. What was it again?

"...Riku?"

More of a question that an answer, but it seemed to be enough for Elodrion.

"A pleasure to meet you Riku."

~*~*~*~

Days passed in a blur, consisting of nothing more than sleeping and eating, slowly regaining his strength. Riku had wanted to leave the next time he woke up, but Elodrion forced him back into the bed, by the sounds of it enraged that he would even suggest something like that, reminding him of his mother in her outrage and straight refusal to even entertain the thought of leaving him out of her care. Just like her.

Bitterness crept into his heart at the thought. His mother...how was she anyway? All that time he had not bothered to think about her, if she was well, how she had dealt with him suddenly gone. If he had told her what has happened so long ago? Did she worry for him? Was she still alive? Returned to Destiny Island or still lost in the worlds, just like he?

Had Destiny Island even been restored?

Riku did not know.

Even the good natured bickering and story telling of his care takers did not help to lift his mood, rather firmed his resolve to leave as soon as possible. The two of them were survivors of a destroyed world, stranded on Eden. 

And as it seemed not the only ones.

Through the constant splatter of rain he sometimes heard voices outside, the crying of kids, bitter laughter and sometimes the clash of weapons.

A refugee camp, as Elodrion told him once. Whoever stranded in this world had settled here. The native inhabitants weren't friendly ("Creepy faced freaks", how Natas had put it), didn't welcome those that tried to save their life in their world and so the survivors had to settle close to the territory of the demons, how she called the Heartless. Daily fights against them was common and the camp had set up guards to keep the inner circle of it save.

But still, nearly no day passed without someone lost to them. And with every day there seemed to be more Heartless.

As things stood this world wouldn't exist much longer either.

Rikus fingers closed over the pendant of the keyblade, the sharp corners of it digging into his palm, the blade itself had vanished as he lost consciousness days ago, and he had not bothered to call it back into existence for now. 

He would not let it come that far.

He would defeat them once and for all before this world would perish.

~*~*~*~

Something woke Riku that night, no sound, but for the constant splatter of the rain against the window plane, the rumble of thunder and crash of lightning drowned everything out. 

No, not a sound.

More, like a feeling . 

Coldness that was not there before, that slowly seeped in between the cracks and gaps of the house, that chilled you to the bone.

Silently he rolled out of his bed, bare feet softly moving over the icy floor.

Something...was here.

Tensing, he took a few more steps, carefully manoeuvring around the obstacles in his way, heading towards the door.

He felt his lashes scraping against the cotton blindfold and silently cursed that he still was as good as blind. For a moment the young man considered to just remove the fabric, it was night after all, but abandoned the idea as a lightning brightened the room around him, the stark white light even penetrating the black strap of cloth that shielded his eyes and made them water.

No, it wouldn't do.

He would have to live with the disadvantage of being blind in a enclosed space, with barely no room to move. 

The fingers of his outstretched left hand encountered stone, and he turned to lean against the wall, head resting against it. If he was not mistaken he now should be across the window, two steps to his left the closet in which Elodrion kept her bandages and herbs, to the right about one step to the door that lead to the corridor. 

Enough space for him to fight.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm down, even out his breathing and his heartbeat that thudded madly in his chest.

His fingers tightened around the grip of the keyblade (funny, he couldn't even remember calling it to his hand) as he listened.

The beating of the rain against the window, like hundreds of tiny fingers drumming against it, the far of rumbling of thunder, deep, revibrating through ones stomach, his own breath, soft drawn out sighs, the whisper of claws through cotton sheets, the snake like hiss that repeated one word over and over again. 

__

"Keyblade!"

I am not afraid.

A step forward, keyblade arcing upwards. He felt it encounter something solid, tearing through it with a sickening wet sound. A small body got flung backwards with a hiss, tearing glass and wood down to the ground with it.

No time to be future concerned about it.

Air ghosting against his bare legs, a sharp downwards thrust and the dying scream of a Heartless broke the silence in the room.

The scurrying of feet against wood, five of them left, maybe six.

Two fast slashes and another one was dispatched off, a second pushed back.

Somewhere downstairs sounded a woman's scream and in the distance the frantic ringing of the alarm bell could be heard, distant and weak under the rolling thunder.

Riku charged forward again, the keyblade singing through the air in a wide arc, hitting at least thrice, before he twirled around, weapon neatly severing through the creature at his back.

A short laugh spilled over his lips.

Easy, after all these fights in Kingdom Hearts, those little Heartless were barely a challenge.

He more felt than heard the creature moving right at his back. The white haired man lashed out again, sure that he would strike this Heartless down too. His blade encountered something hard, a tremor running through the steel up to his arm, penetrated it for a few inches, before getting stuck.

"SHIT!"

The closet. Fucking shit. That little beast of a Heartless had tricked him, lured him away from his small fighting space.

He tried to yank the blade free, but before he managed to dislodge it, two small bodies threw themselves against him, pulling him to the ground.

He cried out in pain as claws shredded his skin, a pair of small hands clutching at his throat, choking him, while another scrambled towards his chest.

No way!

He struggled, trying to throw them off. Wherever they touched his skin coldness and numbness started to spread, and he felt blood running freely down his skin on more than one place. Riku managed to get one leg under the Heartless above him and kicked upwards sharply, managing to dislodge one and kick it in the darkness behind him. The one still at his throat hissed in anger, its breath carrying the smell of blood and decay. He grasped it blindly, felt something under his hand which he supposed was the head and dragged his nails over it until his fingers encountered the Heartless' eyes and pressed mercilessly. Gooey liquid squished past his fingers and a ear piercing wail of pain came from the Heartless. 

The grip loosened and he used it to throw the creature completely off. Without stopping for breath he jumped forward, shoulder painfully hitting the wood of the closet. Rikus hand closed over the handle of the still stuck keyblade and yanked it free, barely managing to get it up and deflect the coming blow in time. Still propped against the wood he let the strike slide off the metal of the blade, while pushing forward at the same time, tearing a long scratch in the arm of the creature, before embedding itself in its torso. The fair haired fighter felt the body of the Heartless dissolve around the keyblade.

One of those little demons left.

Where...?

Small whimpers and hisses, right in front of him. He snarled and jumped to his feet, his weapon coming down hard on the last of his opponents. 

His breathing came heavy, heartbeat loud in his ears.

That had been too close for his liking.

Downstairs he could hear the sounds of fighting, the wails of the Heartless. Sometimes he even thought that he could see the amber glow of hearts, that rose through the ground, through the fabric of his blindfold.

Natas and the others would be able to deal with the remaining fiends, he probably would be more of a nuisance than a help if he tried to feel his way downstairs and fight with them. His free hand balled into a fist and he felt anger welling within his heart, hot and bitter. 

He was so useless.

Useless like this, blind and enclosed in this room.

Easy to sprout great tones here.

Save this world! All worlds!

Yeah, right!

Endangering people with his presence was more like it. Those Heartless, they were after him. Keyblade, keyblade...they knew that he had it, that the means of their destruction were near.

And they would not stop to destroy the threat. 

__

So leave than.

What...

__

Leave, nothing is holding you here. Stop putting your mission off.

I don't even know where I shall start...

__

But you know what we want. Let me lead you.

I wont succumb to you! Never again! I will not fall twice!

__

Riku, I thought you had learned. At least you told me that. Your goal is to defeat the Heartless. Mine is to reign over them.

But to both our goals leads the same road. Let us walk it together. After all there is no black or white, just varying shades of grey.

I do not trust you.

__

I never asked you to trust me. 

I might be lying.

But do you have any other choice? You have no way of transportation and how high are your chances of finding a gumi-ship here and that they will lend it to you? 

With me at your side, with the dark keyblade in your hand, you will be able to travel through the worlds again. 

My strength would be yours again. 

I do not want nor do I need your strength.

__

So sure?

What is your decision? I helped you once. You are free from Kingdom Hearts. 

I offer to help you again.

~*~*~*~

"Riku? Riku are you alright?!"

An empty room was all that greeted the healers concern. The interior was a mess, chairs and table overthrown, the closet damaged and opened, clothes and various items strewn on the floor. Through the open window rain fell onto torn sheets, the wooden frame beating against the wall with every cold gust of wind. The woman hurried towards the window and leaned out, trying to see if she might catch sight of the missing young man.

Nothing.

With a curse she threw the window shut, pointed ears twitching in irritation.

"Idiot. Empty headed dumbfuck. I wont stitch him back together this time."


	4. Spira Otherworld

**__**

Otherworld-Spira-

"Yuna?"

The blond boy cradled her cheek, tenderly whipping away a tear that shone crystalline in the light of the full moon. She gazed up at him, green and blue eye slightly puffy and red rimmed by her crying, rose coloured lips lightly opened to take hitched breaths. Tidus bent down towards her, lids slowly falling shut.

For a moment time seemed to stand still, no sound, no movement, even the wind whispered no longer through the trees.

It was broken roughly though, as the light of the moon turned violet and with a scream of surprise something fell from heaven into the water next to them, dousing them and destroying the romance of the night efficiently.

"What the hell?!"

The blond pushed the summoner behind him, out of reflex reaching for the handle of his sword.

Had something followed them on their flight? 

Had they been found? 

Or just a fiend?

Whatever it was, Tidus was sure that he would be able to handle it.

A moment later the figure broke through the surface again, not far away from them. It was a young man, sputtering, cursing loudly between spitting out mouth full of water, flaying his arms as he tried to stay above the surface. Not easy at all as he was clutching what looked like two giant keys.

Weird.

After a few seconds of hesitating he dove forward, swimming the few feet that separated them with one powerful stroke. He tried to help the struggling man, grasped one of his arms and wanted to pull him towards the shallower part of the lake. 

The reward for his struggles was a hefty knock over the head, curtsey of a flaying key.

Weird choice for weapon or not, it definitely hurt like hell.

Tidus rubbed the sore spot on his head, grimacing. Enough is enough.

He rose his right hand, felt the tendrils of magic weaving around him, cool currents of energy.  
"SLOW!"

At least this once luck was on his side, the man was not immune against the spell and like this it was easy for Tidus to grab the collar of the shirt...was that a flower print?... and drag the fair haired man on the shore. Yuna immediately was next to him, a cure spell already forming on her lips, but he gestured to her to forget about it. Breathing heavily he leaned over the slim figure that was wrecked with coughs, which only slowly subsided and was replaced by hitched breathing

"You're alright?"

The bend head jerked upwards at Tidus voice, turning into his direction, and though the man was blindfolded, the blond youth had the feeling that his gaze burned him to the core.

"Do I know you? Your voice, it sounds familiar..."

A lopsided smile turned the corners of the blitzball players lips upwards and unconsciously he raised one hand to scratch at the back of his head.

Know him? Yeah, sure...

"I'm fairly sure ya don't. I'm not from around here."

A deep sigh came over the mans lips as he gracefully got to his feet, grimacing at his soaking wet clothes that clung icily to his skin.

"It isn't as if I am from around here."

Tidus and Yuna took a startled step backwards as one of the keys, a long, sleek thing, black as midnight, flared up in purple light and vanished into thin air. But before either of them could react, the stranger turned to them, cutting off any unasked question with one of his own.

"Where am I anyway?"

"The Macalania Woods, near the Calm Lands...Spira, do you know that name?"

Yuna trailed off as the young man just shook his head and she looked at the blond youth next to her, seeking help, but he just shrugged, eyes still fixed onto the man before them. Something was strange about him. Not only the keys and that he obviously was not from Spira. 

Had Sin send another through time? The white haired man seemed a bit too calm for that. But, if I had, than why? 

What reason would his old man have to send someone else, but him here? And wouldn't Sin have to be near for that? Tidus shook his head in frustration, no answers, and he wouldn't get any if he did not question.

Yuna seemed to have come to the same conclusion, for at the moment she took a step past him, leaving the protection he had offered. Her hands were clasped in front of her, soft features set in determination, though curiosity sparkled in her eyes brightly.

"Are you from Zanarkand too?" 

"Zanarkand? No."

The keywielder shook his head slightly, before he raised a hand and pushed dripping white hair back from his face, fingers running through the jagged strands, grey and silver highlights, drops sparkling like tiny pearls.

For a moment Tidus saw something different, an image overlaying the one in front of him. Black gloved hands running through slightly shorter hair, wet with the spray of the sea, with the same gesture. The other hand not holding a key, but a wooden sword. A boyish face, still soft with the lines of childhood, but the first hints of adulthood already beginning to show. The faint outline of high cheekbones and a strong jaw, broadening shoulders and developing muscles. Eyes, blue and turbulent as the ever changing water behind him, sparkling with mirth and triumph. 

__

"You lost again! Twelve to zero for me. Why won't you give up, Tidus? "

"Please, tell us. Who are you? Where are you from? Has Sin brought you here?"

Yunas voice, excited and curious, shattered the ghost like image, ... was it a memory?... and replaced it with the man that stood in front of him. The blond shook his head and tried to clear it from the last lingering afterimage. 

Was he going crazy?

"My name is Riku, I can not tell you more. It is a long story and you would most likely not believe me."

Riku...white hair, blue eyes...silly trousers... 

Riku.

Wielding a self made sword, dreaming of adventures and brave deeds, filling hours with colourful stories of other worlds. Mock-fighting, red stick and wood clashing against each other, always victorious.

What the hell? Those weren't his memories...or were they? 

"I am Yuna and this is Tidus. And you are wrong, I would believe you."

"Tidus?!"

It seemed that the blindfolded man did not even hear the summoners declaration of belief, his attention completely focused onto the blond now.

"Um, yep, Tidus. That's my name."

He nervously scratched the back of his head again, a frown creasing his brows. Things just got stranger every day. And if the look of wonderment and shock on the mans face was any indication, he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"So, you do know each other?"

Startled Yuna looked from the one to the other, uncomfortable with the sudden silence, hands folding and unfolding.

"Maybe. I am not sure, but-"

"But what?"

"Shhh. Don't you hear that?"

They fell silent, trying to catch a sound that might suggest that something was out of the ordinary. The blond couldn't hear anything that might draw his suspicion. Only the chirping of crickets, the soft bubbling of the waves against the stones of the shore, the song of the wind as it ghosted through the crystalline wood around them.

Was that guy playing a joke of on them? Trying to get out of answering Yuna's question probably. 

Just as he wanted to voice this suspicion he heard it, faintly, but definitely there. Carried by the breeze he thought he could make out a howl, pain filled, on the brink of madness it seemed, and something that sounded like glass shattering, high and clear.

"What is that?"

The summoners breathless whisper sounded strained, as if she was fighting a losing battle with fear. Which seemed strange, after all that they had seen, fought and defeated, the howl of a creature shouldn't unsettle her. 

But it obviously did.

Her eyes were wide and darted between the two men and their surroundings, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever made those awful sounds. Yuna's hands had fisted into her skirt, clenching onto the deep blue material, probably she was cursing the fact that she had left her staff behind at their camp.

Tidus wanted to say something, anything that would encourage her, but did not find the words to.

He felt it too. This unnamed fear and coldness slowly creeping into his heart, freezing his bones and making him shiver.

What was that.

"Heartless."

"What?!"

The blitzballer gazed at Riku as if he had lost his mind. What the fuck were Heartless?

The white haired man seemed to have felt that look, for a small, knowing smile twisted his lips as he stepped past the summoner and her guardian.

"Heartless. Creatures that were born in the darkness and steal the hearts of others. They do not stop in their slaughter until they have devoured the last heart, the heart of the world. If they are not stopped nothing will be left but the rubble of what once was a living planet."

"How terrible!"

"We must stop them than!"

"You can't."

"What do you mean, we can't?!"

Tidus grabbed onto the man's upper arm, tightening his grip as the other tried to get away. Determination was written onto the blonde's face, blue eyes narrowed and lips drawn back in a snarl. He wouldn't let that Riku guy just get away like that! He couldn't just waltz in, fuck up his life even more than it already was, predict even more doom for Spira and than walk away like nothing happened.

NO WAY!

The growling had got closer, the shattering of the crystal plants nearly unbearable loud by now and shadows danced around them.

"I have no time! Is there a closed off space nearby, something you can easily defend against intruders?"

"The traveller stop on the other side of the forest and the one in the Cal-"

Riku did not let her finish her sentence, he seemed nervous, head turning this way and that as if he was trying to spot unseen attackers, his grip on the key had tightened, knuckles turning nearly white, and shook off the blonde's grip with a jerk, before stepping away, turning his back on them.

"Go there than. Hurry! I will stop them as long as I can."

"But, let us help you!"

"Yuna..."

Gently Tidus lay a hand onto her shoulder and drew her back.

"Do as he says."

"But-"  
"Kimahri is near, he will bring you back to the others. They have to be warned too. Go to the Travellers Stop. We will follow you later."

For a few seconds he thought that she would disagree and stay, but after a moments Yuna nodded.

"Alright, but be careful please."

It seemed that she wanted to say more to him, but with a deep sigh she turned and ran down the way that would lead her to the waiting Ronso.

He gazed after her, watching her fade away into the darkness. He hoped that she would be alright, that she would reach Kimahri and the others safely. Those Heartless... as if Spira wasn't punished enough with Sin already. Poor Yuna...

"DOWN!"

Things happened too fast for Tidus to react, a huge shadow broke out of the underbrush, directly in front of him, shattering the delicate crystal plants, and sending razor sharp splinters flying in every direction. Which didn't stop the thing one bit.

For a moment he saw the creature that was to be his enemy, something that might once have been a Chimera, but now was hideously disfigured. Oily blackness had tainted the once bright colours of the fiend, spreading over its whole body in a mottled net of decaying flesh, which seemed strangely alive. Moving, boiling and shifting as if it tried to shift its form.

And this lovely thing would probably have stumped the blitzballer into a early grave, if it wasn't for Riku who threw himself against the frozen youth, tearing them both to the ground and out of the Heartless' way.

Gravel and razor sharp splinters dug into his side, tearing his unprotected skin painfully. Tidus had taken the most of the impact, the other having fallen on top of him.

He felt the white haired man shifting, tensing above him, warm, erratic breath against his ear.

"Run!"

With that the weight was gone from his back and the painfilled howl of the Chimera-Heartless echoed a second later, barely audible underneath its raving the warcry of a human voice.

Hastily Tidus struggled to his feet, clutching his hurting side with one hand, while the other grasped the Brotherhood tightly. He had to help Riku.

~*~*~*~

Not to far away Riku was struggling with the fiend. He had managed to land a few heavy blows before something, probably the tail of the creatures, had swept his feet out from underneath him. The fall had been heavy and he had been lucky to roll out of the way as the creature had breathed fire into his direction. 

Cursing he jumped upwards, swinging the keyblade over his head he brought it down hard onto the Heartless, eliciting a growl of pain from it, before he dropped back down to his feet. His breathing came heavy, sweat, blood and cold water trickled down his shaking frame.

This wasn't good. Not at all. The transfer between Eden and Spira had taken much more out of him than he first thought. He was weak and blind, fighting against an enemy in surroundings he did not know. Things did not look good.

Hopefully Tidus got away.

With a cry he charged his enemy again, dealing a violent blow and falling into a combination of kicks and swings. He felt the flesh of the creature give way under his feet, the meat feeling cold and slimy against his bare skin. Delivering one last strike against what he thought was the head of the Heartless, he stumbled back, gulping for air.

Why couldn't this beast just die already?

A hiss and the rattle of scales against stone let his eyes behind the blindfold widen. The air was static suddenly, his skin prickled and the tiny hairs on his arms and at his neck stood on end. Before he even could try to move out of the way electricity enveloped him. Riku couldn't help but scream as wave after wave swept through him, the thunder spell forcing spasm after spasm through his body, his nerve ends on fire and sparkles dancing in front of his eyes. 

After what seemed like an eternity for him the spell wore off and he fell to his knees.

He was done for. 

His journey had barely started and already he had lost. Even Ansem was silent, no snide remarks, no advice, no help. 

Typical. Probably had a date with Darkness and couldn't be bothered.

He heard how the Chimera-Heartless moved in front of him, probably preparing for the killing blow.

Pressing his eyes together he awaited the final strike, which never came.

Instead he heard what sounded like claws tearing at metal and strained breathing, followed shortly by a growl of the Heartless. Before he could figure out what had happened he felt cool dust settling onto his skin followed by a pleasant tingle, a warm shiver that ran through him and soothed away most of his aches.

"Can you stand?"

What? Tidus? Hadn't he told the boy to run?

"Yes...I think so, but – "

"Fine, than run!"

The other grasped his wrist, jerking him upwards and started a mad dash down the road, the fiend howling in frustration behind them as it saw its prey escaping.

More stumbling than running they made their way through the winding paths of Macalania Forest, thorns and crystal leaves tore at their clothing and cut their skin, the cries and howls of the Heartless all around them.

They became more and more. He could feel them, like a disease spreading rapidly around, infesting everything around them. He could hear them, their whispers, screaming for the keyblade, for his heart and for the one who dared to interfere, heard how they urged each other on to catch them, kill them, make them one of their breed.

Under his feet the cold, glass-like ground slowly turned to earth and than to snow, which was soothing against the cuts and bruises on his soles. He just hoped that they wouldn't run too long through it, already he could feel the coldness creeping into his bones, freezing his wet clothes and hair and raising Goosebumps on his skin.

He nearly fell as Tidus suddenly put on another burst of speed, mercilessly tagging him along.

"Get in! Get into the house! Barricade the windows! Fiends!"

The voice of the youth was breathless, sounded more like strangled barks, but by the sounds of it had an effect.

Riku could hear upset voices, a startled outcry and the warking of what sounded like a bird. The next moment he was shoved through an opening, his shoulder scraping against wood and he stumbled into helping arms. People spoke around him, but he did not understand a single word as he was ushered future into the room, once he thought he heard Tidus, speaking in the same strange language, but before he could speak he had been lead through another door. He could feel and hear movement all around him, wood scraping against wood, the sound of hammering, loud voices barking commands, the crying of a child.

"You are freezing, you poor kid. There...", the woman who had spoken lead him on into another room, the tumult left behind them. The air in it was warm and moist, the tiles under his feet wet and slippery. "A warm bath will make you feel better. Just drop your clothes onto the floor, I will send your friend with new ones later on."

"The others, I have to help them."

His voice sounded lost to his own ears.

"No you don't, young man. We are perfectly capable of defending ourselves. And you wouldn't do any good if you just fainted on the spot. Now, no arguments anymore and off you go into the bath. Will you be alright if I leave you alone?"

He nodded slowly and waited until he heard the door close again, before he fell onto the ground, his legs just giving way.

That really had been close.

He fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, numb fingers clumsily managing to undo them. He left the torn garment on the ground, shortly followed by his pants and, after a moment hesitation he undid the blindfold too.

Eyes firmly pressed together Riku felt his way to the rim of the bath, it took him a while until he had orientated himself, and another minute to find the bucket with water, which he dumped over his head to at least wash away the gravest of the dirt.

As the white haired man finally slipped into the bath he sighed in relief. To be enveloped by the warm liquid that chased away the coldness in his flesh with delicious prickles, the light sting as it covered still open cuts and the unobtrusive smell of flowers that calmed his nerves. 

It didn't take long for him to relax, his body going lax and heavy, sleep just lurking around the corner. His first real bath in years, god, how he had missed those small luxuries.

__

Desperately needed too. Your smell could probably be used as weapon against the Heartless.

Ansem ... shut up.

Riku rested his head against the rim of the bath with a sigh, willing himself not to think and to ignore the soft hum of Ansem's presence at the back of his mind.

So much had happened within such a short time...

Drifting in and out of sleep he did not notice as the door was opened and someone joined him in the room. Only as the other stepped to him into the water did he jerk awake, eyes opening in alarm and pressed together with a groan of pain the next moment.

Fucking light.

__

Finally we agree on something.

~*~*~*~

"Don't panic, 's just me."

Tidus flopped into the water next to the other, arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the other wearily.

The white hair, now grey with water hung tangled around rounded shoulders, barely contrasting with the nearly white skin that stretched taunt over sinews and defined muscles. Still, though trained the man was awfully thin, no ounce of fat or unnecessary flesh, the skin colour, which gave the young man an ethereal look, none the less unhealthy, as if he had not seen the sun for years. And than there were the eyes. Riku was not blind, like the blond had thought first, but sensitive to light as his reaction proved. Had he been looked away somewhere.

"Okay, talk."

"What?"

The other was still frowning and rubbing his eyes with one hand, while the other has reached over the rim of the bath and tried to find the blindfold.

Sighing in expiration the blond stretched out in the water.

"Does Heartless ring a bell? Devouring of the heart of the world and all that shit. And while you are at it, you too can explain why you are so familiar."

"You do remember me?"

"I am not sure. I think I remember you, or someone who had the same name and looked a lot like you. But it makes no sense. You said you weren't from Zanarkand and those images I see, they aren´t from the city either."

"Do you remember an island? Tropical, with palms and overgrown mountains? A few old shacks the only buildings, a crudely made dock..."  
"And a girl in a yellow dress sitting on it, deeming everything romantic. She always had a jumping rope with her."

"Selphie."

"How...how is this possible?"

Tidus was lost, memories of a childhood long forgotten came rushing back, bits and pieces first, faces to which he slowly put names, poignant happenings, play fights, laughter. Why could he have forgotten all this? How, how came it that he could only remember his life in Zanarkand?

~*~*~*~


End file.
